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New Country: Jacob Bryant — ‘Practice What I Preach’

Jacob Bryant may not be a household name yet, but if he continues to release country music as exciting and consistent as Practice What I Preach, then he will be one of the greats of his generation. He has a vocal instrument that’s one of those God-given gifts, and he’s smart about what songs he sings with it. There’s a thoroughly rural edge/border/prairie/swamp/shooting range/fill-in-the-blank-as-long-as-it’s-a-place-that’ll-get-mud-on-your-tires quality to his delivery, yet he’s not afraid to soften the edges and explore the emotion in the songs. There’s dirt road authenticity in every note, and there’s a deep-seated wisdom that could only have come from a trip or two on the highway of life. The solid material he’s offering on his first full-length album (after five previous EPs) makes all the waiting for it well worth it.

Jacob Bryant shares more than a few of the traits that make country music fans so appreciative of Brantley Gilbert and Eric Church, yet he’s entirely his own seemingly indestructible persona. If you like your country music trustworthy, then Jacob Bryant is the voice you seek. For example, the song “25 In Jail” flirts with the Merle Haggard references, both lyrically and musically, just enough to keep things interesting. If you love country music, you’ll love the respect that Bryant pays it, musically. My personal favorite on the album is “When I Get On A Roll” (written by Tony Stampley). It’s a song that allows the album to breathe, and it gives Bryant the chance to amplify the emotional depths he’s reached so far. (I’d love to see this song reappear someday as a duet.)

In other quality tracks such as “Pain, Pain,” and “Pour Whiskey On My Grave,” Bryant stakes out his artistic territory; he’s all country, but with his own brand of Southern rock lighting it all up from below. Vocally, he’s a campfire that’s been burning all night, that glows and occasionally shoots sparks, and that just might erupt again into wild flames if the right wind comes along. His is a provocative voice, with an infectious energy, always tell a compelling story.

For every superlative that can be thrown at Bryant’s vocals, there are an equal number of expressions of excellence that can be used to describe the musicians that support, lead, and follow his vocals on the album. The way the band (especially the guitar work) frames Bryant’s talent with their own voluminous strength is remarkable. Jacob Bryant may have taken his time, but he definitely delivered. This album has the right cast of characters, the right material, the right drive and energy, and the right timing. In other words, country music in 2019 is going to be just fine, after all.

Highlights: “More Than One Year,” “Pour Whiskey On My Grave,” “Practice What I Preach,” “When I Get On A Roll.”